Congratulations on your squeaky clean diet, but how's your bathroom cabinet? According to holistic nutritionist and author, Kelly LeVeque, all it takes is a few key green skincare products to clean up your act -- and to stay committed to it.
Last month, Kelly dished on her transition to non-toxic self-care products, including how her client Jessica Alba gave her a green beauty makeover to get started. Below, discover which other essential self-care products helped this celeb nutrition guru clean up her skincare act, once and for all...
It's 2017, there is no excuse not to clean up your beauty routine! But where do you start?
I asked myself that same question a few years ago and have slowly stripped away (pun intended) the chemicals and toxins product by product. The process didn't happen overnight, and I am not going to say it was easy; it came laden with weird armpit bumps, breakouts, rashes and untamed locks, but it was totally worth it. Today, it's a way easier process, but hopefully this helps you navigate your way to a greener cleaner you.
The Best Body Wash
Ok, so really... where do you start? I personally started with the largest geographical area, my body. This selfishly meant I didn't need to mess with my makeup, anti-aging peptide creams or retinol, but it also gave me the biggest bang for my buck. I started with body wash and lotion. I walked directly into Whole Foods and snagged Dr. Bronner’s body wash and coconut oil-based body lotion. My roommate from college used Dr. Bronner’s and I already knew I liked it; since then, I’ve decided rose is my favorite scent.
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The Best Body Lotions
The lotion ended up being a bit more of trial and error. I needed it to absorb nicely and keep my skin hydrated (I run dry) without clogging my pores or ruining my silk clothing with grease. I started by buying the smallest size and experimenting. Today, I still buy my lotion from Whole Foods -- or Thrive Market if I am planning ahead. Here are a few of my non-sponsored, unpaid favorites.
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Nubian Heritage Raw Shea Butter Body Lotion
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The Best Toothpastes
Next, I tackled toothpaste. I swapped to peppermint Tom's, easy enough -- until I accidentally bought the licorice flavored toothpaste version, gross. I have since experimented with even cleaner toothpaste options like the Dirt Rose Cacao. If I am keeping it real, my toothpaste needs to be easily purchased if I run out, enjoyed by my husband (are we the only couple who shares?) and be super minty fresh not dirt or charcoal — but to each their own. We just aren't there yet, but we're loving Dr. Bronner's Peppermint, it has cleaner stronger minty freshness than Toms.
Dr. Bronner's Peppermint All-One Toothpaste
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The Dirt MCT Oil Toothpaste With Royal Rose + Cacao
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The Best Deodorants
Feels like pretty smooth sailing right?! Wrong. Insert: deodorant.
This continues to be the bane of my natural existence and it will probably be yours too. It's a personal thing you need to figure out on your own. For me, almost every single stick-based deodorant has given me burning red bumps, I have since realized it’s the baking soda that causes said bumps, but a magnesium-based stick does not. The real issue was most made me sweat like a seventh grader and smell like a locker room. My pursuit of the perfect natural deodorant has been a grueling four-year process. Good news, I finally have a few favorites and swap them out depending on the day. If I have been consistently sweating in a yoga class or spin (think real sweaty) I don't normally smell and can easily get away with a mild spray deodorant, like EO; but most days, I am using Nubian or Ursa Major. Here is the caveat: If I am drinking too much caffeine or have what my husband affectionately calls "fear sweat" due to a TV appearance or speaking engagement, I might still be smelly. I shower and move on. I refuse to use aluminum or parabens.
EO Organic Spray Deoderant
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Nubian Heritage Patchouli + Buriti 24 Hour Deodorant
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Ursa Major No B.S. Deodorant
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The Best Face Wash
I poured too much money into organic skincare products only to have them expire, break me out or simply not work. Don't do what I did and buy every green product that your facialist recommends the first time you get an organic facial. Instead, make the change product by product. Face wash is an easy first start. I love a mild pH balanced cleanser or a gentle cleanser with a little salicylic to prevent breakouts like Honest’s New Younger + Clearer cleanser. You just want to ensure you aren’t stripping your skin or it will overreact by producing more oil. The next move is graduating to an oil-based cleanser.
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Honest Beauty Gel Cleanser
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The Best Skincare
For Exfoliating:
Save yourself the time and just buy yourself Doctor’s Scrub from Dr. Goldfadens MD. It’s made with perfectly cylindrical rubies, which prevents micro-tearing to your skin. Sorry but your seed-based scrubs are subpar. Doctor’s Scrub is formulated with line-filling hyaluronic acid (you need this in your line up!) to deliver long-lasting hydration while nourishing seaweed and organic red-tea extract provide antioxidant benefits.
For Oiling:
Probably my best kept secret for fresh skin is oil serums. Oiling at night, before a flight and adding a few drops to my lotion keeps my skin dewy and hydrated. It’s not the thick night crème you are used to; a thin veil of simple oils to calm, hydrate and help heal the skin works magic. Contrary to popular belief, bacteria doesn’t grow in these oils. My current favorite picks are Everything Organic Oil, Eminence Calendula oil or Odacite Wild Carrot, but honestly, my entire medicine cabinet is oils! Massage a few drops into clean and/or exfoliated skin. If you are in Nashville, Lemon Laine has a DIY organic oil bar!
The post Clean Up Your Act: A Nutrition Nerd’s Guide To Greener Self-Care appeared first on The Chalkboard.
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